Chuck vs the Mirror
by RinkRatWriter
Summary: Disaster strikes Team Chuck, and our hero must step out into the cold on his own. He needs to learn how to deal with what he sees and does in order to rescue a loved one.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I watched the latest episode this morning and had some ideas spring up and say "Hey! We'd make a great story!". And it wouldn't shut up until I put them down in some way. Rest assured though that there will be new chapters of Shoe Box and WTHIT shortly (within the hour I hope!)

A/N: I don't own Chuck, Sarah, or anyone else cannon to the show. I don't make money from this. Yada yada yada.

**Chapter 1**

Though he could not hear it, Chuck groaned loudly as he slowly rolled over on the floor. A few moments after his groan the glass door of the room swung open to reveal a small bearded man in a vest and tie.

"Chuck?" Morgan asked in confusion upon seeing his best friend laying on the ground. "Chuck, man, wake up."

"Morgan?" Chuck groaned.

"Yeah man, it's me," Morgan said with a smile. "What's going on?"

"Where am I?"

"The BuyMore, on the floor of the theatre room...ringing any bells?"

Opening his mouth a few times, Chuck's brain sluggishly began to process things. His mouth felt like it had when he and Bryce had gone on that three day bender back in college. "What time is it?"

"It's almost eleven, man; I was just getting ready to head home after crunching the numbers for Big Mike."

Desperately, Chuck tried to remember the events that led to him being on the floor of the theatre room. He had been in the theatre room after a mission to apprehend a suspected Ring operative... "Hannah...where's Hannah?"

Chuck failed to notice the sad, and somewhat cold, look that fell over Morgan's face. "Dude, look, maybe you and Hannah had better start taking it somewhere else."

"What? Morgan, what are you talking about?" Chuck blinked his eyes as he pulled himself off the floor. He was pretty sure he'd been tranqed, again. And Hannah was missing.

"Look Chuck, I'm glad you were able to get over Sarah so quickly, and I've tried not to say anything man, because really I don't want you to go down that spiral again, but it's eating me up. You _knew_ I liked her man, and still you went after her. What happened to us man?"

Patting himself down quickly, Chuck checked to see if anything was missing, or if anything had been added to what he had on him. Phone was still there, watch, wallet, no extra goodies. Pushing the button on the side of the watch to trigger an alert, Chuck turned to finally look at Morgan. "What are you talking about Morgan?"

"Hannah, you knew I had a thing for her man!" Morgan said in a voice perilously close to whining. "What, it wasn't enough for you to land Sarah? And Lou? You had to take Hannah too? What says you get to date all the hot and awesome women that work around here Chuck?"

"Ummm, look buddy, that's not how it happened," Chuck said as he desperately sought for a way out of the conversation. "And ahhhh , if it's almost eleven I'm running late for a date with...ahh...crap. Look man, I'm really sorry, but it's not what you think. Can we talk about this when I get home?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Morgan shook his head. "Duck out of the conversation, just like you always do nowadays. Go, do whatever it is you do when you run away."

"Thanks buddy," Chuck said with a smile at his friend. "I swear, we'll talk when I get home. Promise."

As Chuck was making his way out of the home theatre room, Morgan called out "Chuck?"

"Yeah buddy?"

"I told John I was going to be standing up for myself now, so I feel I have to say this. I hate to say it man, but I don't know you anymore, I don't know who you are. What happened to my best friend?"

Unsure of how to answer, Chuck just shrugged with a sheepish smile and ducked out of the room.

***

Pausing only long enough to use the retinal scanner in the Orange Orange freezer, Chuck took the stairs into Castle two at a time.

"Casey? Sarah? Shaw?" Chuck called out as he hit the bottom of the stairs. "Guys?"

Pausing for a second to see if anyone answered, Chuck shook his head slowly. "Great, looks like the training wheels have come off, except no one told me."

Looking around, Chuck noticed the file still out on the table, one of the chairs overturned, and a greasy substance on the floor leading back to the detention cells. "Helllllo," Chuck muttered. "That's odd."

Stepping over the chair, Chuck moved over to the substance on the floor and dipped a finger in it. Looking at his finger Chuck felt a shiver down his spine as he saw the red substance. Blood. Who's blood was the question. "Actually," Chuck muttered, "the question is why is there blood here?"

Jumping up, Chuck ran to the armoury to grab and load a 9mm. Thumbing off the safety and chambering a round, Chuck moved back over to the blood trail and slowly made his way back to the cells. "Hello?" Chuck called out softly. "Anyone home?"

A low groan answered Chuck's query. Turning the corner Chuck stopped at the sight that greeted him. John Casey was lying in a detention cell in a large puddle of blood. Clicking the safety back on, Chuck slid the sidearm into his waistband behind his back and punched in the release code.

"Casey!" Chuck shouted as the door slid open. Rushing forward he dropped to his knees beside his friend and partner. "John!"

With a groan, Casey slowly turned his head to turn glassy eyes to look up at Chuck. "Bar...owski."

"Oh man oh man," Chuck groaned. "Hold on John, I'll get help."

"Too...late," Casey grunted out slowly.

"Don't you say that," Chuck snapped. "You're John Casey, NSA Super Spy, so you hold in there!"

Rushing out of the cell, Chuck grabbed a first aid kit off the wall and sprinted back in, pulling his phone from his pocket. Ripping open the kit Chuck grabbed a field dressing and ripped the packaging open. Dropping to his knees he rolled John over and got a good look at the mess where his stomach used to be. "Oh man," Chuck moaned. Taking a deep breath, Chuck forced his emotions to the background and pressed the bandage against John's stomach. "Hang in there buddy, I'll get help."

While keeping pressure on the bandage, Chuck used a blood slicked thumb to open his contact list and selected "Captain Awesome".

"Devon, it's Chuck. Don't talk. I need your help man, it's John."

"Gunshot. It's bad Dev, real bad."

"In the Castle. Use the code 9112119. It's the emergency override. Thanks bro, I owe you."

Turned back to the man on the floor, Chuck was sickened at how quickly the pressure bandage had become soaked through with blood. Grabbing another field dressing from the kit, he ripped it open and pushed it against the first one. "Hang in there John, Devon's on the way. Don't you die on me Casey, not now."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: It's short, but I wanted to get to this point fairly quickly.

**Chapter 2**

"Damn it John, hold on," Chuck murmured as he applied yet another field dressing to Casey's wound. He'd gone through three first aid kits worth of dressings and still no Devon. Checking his watch he saw that only ten minutes had passed since his phone call.

"...ron," Casey muttered.

"What? Casey, what was that?" Chuck asked, surprised to see his partner had regained consciousness.

"I...said," Casey coughed and grimaced against the pain. "Moron. I'm dying. Leave me. Go find Sarah."

Chuck heard the freezer door open above them and feet on the stairs. "Devon's here John, just hang in there."

"He took her Chuck," Casey grunted against the overwhelming pain. "You have to get her back."

"I let her go John, it's what she wanted. I could see that after the museum mission," Chuck sighed. When he heard his name called he yelled out "Back here Devon."

Captain Awesome burst into the room with a big black nylon bag and took a quick look at the scene. "Whoa. Not awesome guys. Let me get in there Chuck."

As Chuck stood up to make room for Devon to move in and do his thing, Chuck felt Casey grab onto his arm. "Moron. He shot me, took her. Not talking about your lady feelings."

"Crap," Chuck muttered. He needed to figure out what was going on, and fast. "Devon, are you good here? I need to report this to...the bosses."

"I could really use another set of hands Chuck, is it going to take long?"

"Not long, and I've already coded in a medical emergency. We should have EMS here soon."

"Go then," Devon nodded.

Stepping back into the briefing room, Chuck pulled over a keyboard and keyed in for a video conference with Beckman.

As soon as the image formed on the monitor Chuck was reporting. "General, I know we don't report directly to you anymore, but there's a problem here. Casey's down with a GSW and Sarah and Shaw are nowhere to be found."

"Calm down Captain. I got the alert when you coded in for a medical emergency. I need a sitrep."

"Yes ma'am," Chuck said, unconsciously drawing himself up straighter. "Colonel Casey has been shot in the stomach and is dangerously close to bleeding out. I called in the nearest doctor I could think of who even knew about the facility, that being Dr. Woodcomb. He's currently stabilizing the Colonel, and agency EMS should be on scene within five."

"And Agents Shaw and Walker?"

"Not here. Casey's been rambling about Sar...I mean Agent Walker being taken after he was shot, but he's not being very clear. I have yet to determine who the 'he' the Colonel keeps referring to is."

As Chuck was reporting he began to direct the computers to search for Sarah's cell phone and the GPS in the Porsche. It only took a moment for the system to report that the Porsche was still outside the Orange Orange, and only a few moments longer to report that there was no trace of her phone. "A GPS search has turned up nothing on Agent Walker's phone, and her vehicle is still outside."

"This is not good Captain Bartowski. We need to find Shaw and Walker. This must be an attempt of the Ring's to locate the Intersect."

"Yes, ma'am," Chuck nodded in agreement.

"Find out what you can from Colonel Casey, and then report back to me. You have your orders Captain," the General instructed and then cut the video feed.

"Captain?" Chuck turned quickly when he heard Devon's question.

"Uhhh yeah. About that. When I completed my training with the NSA I was given the rank of Captain in the Army. I can't really tell you why," Chuck said with a shrug. Devon was starting to learn the idea of National Security. "How's Casey?"

"Cool, so there really is a Captain in the family," Devon said with a flash of a smile and then he turned serious again. "Not good bro. He's going to need a lot more than I can give him, and if we don't get a transfusion started, and I mean five minutes ago, we're probably going to lose him."

As Devon finished the alert light came on over the computer console. "Right on time," Chuck muttered as he checked to ensure it was the EMS team. Punching the button he opened the door. "There's the EMS team Devon, I won't get in your way."

"He wants to talk to you before they work on him," Devon said as he stepped up to the bottom of the stairs.

Hesitating before stepping back into the cell, Chuck drew in a deep breath and then moved in next to his partner. "John, it's me. Chuck."

"I know who you are," Casey got out through a series of grunts. "Idiot. Listen. He shot me and then took Walker."

"Who John, who took Sarah?" Chuck pushed.

"Shaw."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Furiously Chuck scrubbed his hands under the water that was quickly turning tepid. Reaching over he pushed the lever to dispense even more soap into his palm and grabbed another sheet of paper towel and continued the scrubbing. He just couldn't get Casey's blood off his hands, no matter how hard he tried. He hadn't even realized that he'd reported to Beckman with Casey's blood on his hands, his arms, staining his shirt. He hadn't cared. But after Devon and the EMS team had taken Casey up the stairs Chuck knew he had to report Casey's revelation about Shaw, and now he was just stalling.

Why hadn't he seen it? Why hadn't he flashed?

"God damn it!" Chuck snarled as he slapped his hand down on the faucet to shut off the stream of water. Snatching up even more paper towel he dried his hands and then stalked back out into the briefing room. Sometime in the future, Chuck was sure that he would find it funny that he was channeling an "inner Casey", but not now, not while his friend, his partner...his mentor was in the back of a meat wagon on his way to City of Angels with what the EMS techs figured was a perforated stomach and a possible spinal injury.

As Chuck crossed to stand in front of the table, the monitor on the wall beeped and turned on to show General Beckman.

"Captain, what's the status of Colonel Casey?"

"Ma'am, Colonel Casey is currently en route to City of Angels Hospital. The EMS techs and Devin have agreed that it is likely that the Colonel has suffered a perforated stomach and possible spinal injury as a result of the shooting. Anything beyond that will need to wait until they get him on the table and open him up."

Beckman paused before continuing, giving Chuck an odd look. "How are you Captain?" she asked with rarely seen concern.

"Fine ma'am," Chuck said, unconsciously moving his hands to be behind his back. "I meant to ask you about that ma'am. The Captain thing that is. I'm not sure if I feel right being called Captain when I didn't earn it. Hell General, I didn't even enlist."

"Captain, do you remember the first six weeks of your training?" General Beckman asked with a long suffering sigh.

"Yes ma'am, it's hard to forget. It sort of reminded me of Full Metal Jacket with all the yelling by the NSA instructors," Chuck shivered at the memory. He'd always wondered about that six week period, but no one seemed inclined to give him an explanation as to why he was doing what they were yelling at him to do.

"That could be because you were undergoing basic training. I'm not in the habit of handing out ranks to civilians Captain. Trust me when I say this Bartowski, you enlisted," General Beckman speared Chuck with a cold stare. "It makes your work with the NSA easier if you carry an officer rank. Officially you're on seconded duty with the NSA from Fort Irwin. Didn't anyone fill you in on these details?"

"Umm, no ma'am. I wasn't informed of any of that," Chuck shuffled nervously for a moment before standing taller. "Does this mean I have to salute you ma'am?"

"Only in uniform, and only in person. Damn it, why didn't Shaw pass this along when he was informed?"

"Umm, ma'am?"

General Beckman rolled her eyes at Chuck's interruption. "What?"

"About Agent Shaw..."

"Spit it out Captain."

Chuck bit his lower lip for a second. Beckman was going to defecate a polygon when he opened his mouth again. "Ma'am, Colonel Casey identified Agent Shaw as the shooter."

Chuck was a little surprised at the lack of explosion at his news. Beckman was just sitting there, unnaturally still, staring at him. Feeling a bead of sweat roll down his back, Chuck shifted his weight from one foot to the other while waiting for the General to respond. "Ahh, ma'am...I said the Colonel ID'd Shaw as his shooter."

"Damn it Bartowski, I heard you," General Beckman was now turning an alarming shade of purple. Chuck really didn't want to be on a video-conference with her when she stroked out. Silently he watched as the General stabbed a button with her finger, muting the video-conference and picked up a phone with the other hand and then began yelling into it. After she slammed the phone back down she turned the sound back on with Chuck. "This is not good Captain. If Shaw and Walker have gone rogue, we're all in a world of trouble. I've got a security team en route to your position. They will escort you to the airport, and you'll get on a plane and report to Fort Meade yesterday, do you understand me Captain?"

"General, ma'am, with all due respect..."

"Don't start that crap with me Captain."

"Ma'am, Colonel Casey is about to undergo a surgery that might, maybe, save his life and I should be with him. And Sarah is missing. I can't go into hiding in Maryland."

"Captain, I gave you an order. Remember, you're in the Army now."

"Ma'am...Casey's dying and there's no way Sarah has gone rogue."

"Do you have proof to back up your...theory?"

"Only the Intersect, ma'am. Sarah's file indicates that she has never, not once, had contact with Daniel Shaw before this assignment. There's no way they've worked together before."

"That doesn't prove anything Bartowski. Damn it Captain, Shaw could have seduced Walker into going rogue," General Beckman sighed heavily. Pushing a button on her computer she brought up a window with surveillance footage of Shaw giving Sarah a shoulder rub. "Captain...Chuck, I'm sorry, I really am. But I think this proves my point."

"It's still just conjecture General," Chuck said with uncharacteristic confidence in his voice. "Ma'am, there have been plenty of opportunities for Shaw to take me if the Intersect was his goal. Hell, the first time I met him he could have tranqed me and taken me in and I wouldn't have had a chance. The Intersect wasn't his goal here."

"A valid point Captain," Beckman conceded grudgingly. "I'm still not comfortable with you unprotected though."

"Send the security team ma'am, I don't have a problem with that as long as they don't get in my way. But I'm not going to leave Casey alone in a hospital or Sarah god knows where. Casey said 'he took her' ma'am; wherever she is, Sarah didn't go willingly."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Wow...there is a lot of Shaw-hate out there. Can't say I'm surprised...don't get me wrong...I actually like the idea of the character and what he's there to do (in my mind). But in the end, he's nothing more than an obstacle for the erstwhile hero to overcome. Also, I loved the in-joke in this week's episode; Chuck saying "If you're into the superman type" to "she-who-used-to-be-Lana-Lang" about "he-who-donned-the-tights". Its little pop culture touches like that that take Chuck up and beyond other "comedy" shows out there.

A/N 2: Sorry for the delay, took a bad fall on some ice and pulled some muscles pretty bad. Can't type if you can't really move your back or neck. All good now though, so without further ado...

A/N 3: Oh. one small ado. Be warned, the language in this chapter and following chapters may get a little colourful. Not suitable for small children and nuns.

**Chapter 4**

Chuck had some trouble when he tried to get past the nurse's station when he couldn't even flip open his NSA ID because he had to protect the covers. He was tempted to sic his two new goon shadows on the nurse in an effort to create a distraction, but stopped when he thought of an even better one.

"Look...Linda. I know because I'm not family you can't tell me anything, I do. But could you do me a favour? Could you page Doctor Eleanor Woodcomb and let her know that her neighbour John has been admitted and is in surgery? I'm sure Ellie would like to know."

As soon as the nurse turned to the phone to page Ellie, Chuck looked at one of his shadows and imitated Casey when he snarled "Keep her off my back."

Leaving his shadow behind, Chuck gestured at the second one to follow him because he knew Beckman would birth a litter of kittens if she knew he ditched his security detail. Taking advantage of the nurse's distraction as she talked to Ellie, Chuck ducked through the doors into the interior waiting room of the operating theatre. Dropping down into one of the hard plastic chairs, Chuck let his head fall into his hands, dropping all pretence of being in control. There was no one here to see him shake as he finally acknowledged the gravity of Casey's situation.

"There was so much blood..." Chuck muttered into his hands.

"Sir?" the security agent Beckman had sent asked.

With a slight jerk Chuck raised his head from his hands and looked at his bodyguard who he had managed to somehow forget about. "What's your name?"

"Agent Thomas," the man said.

"Ever seen a partner lose more blood than you thought the human body could hold Agent Thomas?"

"More times than I'd care to remember sir," Thomas said gravely.

"How did you deal with it?" Chuck asked with desperation threaded through his voice.

"The best you can, sir. You find something to hold on to in the situation, and you don't let go, no matter what."

"Like vengeance?" Chuck asked softly, his mind flickering back to Casey gasping out that it was Shaw that had shot him; that it was Shaw that had taken Sarah. Chuck's mind began to stroll down shadowy paths he never thought he'd see.

"Sometimes, yes sir. But you can't let it consume you; it will eat you up inside. Vengeance is a beast with a mind of its own sir. You don't keep it on a tight leash it'll take you places you never wanted to go."

Before Chuck could respond the door at the end of the waiting room banged open and Devon walked out talking quietly to a smaller man in blood stained scrubs. Seeing Chuck sitting in the chair with the well dressed shadow beside him, Devon stopped and motioned to the other doctor to wait.

"Chuckster, how'd you get in here bro?" Devon asked as he moved to take the seat next to Chuck.

"Oh you know..." Chuck waved vaguely at the door as if that was some kind of answer.

"Right," Devon said with a small nod and a wink, filling in the blanks with his own imaginings.

"How's he doing Dev?" Chuck asked wearily, making a visible effort to straighten up and resume control.

"Chuck, it's far, far too early to tell, but Doctor Blake was involved in the initial operation and will be able to..."

"Initial operation?" Chuck pierced Devon with a quick glare, his eyes darkening with his mood. "What the fuck do you mean _initial_ operation?"

"Chuck," Devon gulped nervously. "It's standard procedure in these situations. Whoever the ahhh..."

As Devon paused Chuck figured out that he was waiting for Chuck to fill him in on the cover story. What the hell, it was an old standby. "Mugger."

"Right," Devon said with a grateful nod. "Whoever the mugger was knew how to handle a gun. He shot John where it would do the most damage without killing him immediately. Ahh, Chuck?"

At Devon's words Chuck shot out of the chair and began to pace a small area, his fists clenching and unclenching. "Did you say knew what he was doing?"

"Yeah, Chuck. And it's so not awesome Chuck. Whoever did this wanted John to suffer a great deal before dying."

"Ahh, sir?" Agent Thomas interrupted.

"Thomas?" Chuck looked up at the agent and then to where he was indicating and saw two hospital security guards enter the waiting room and make a bee line for where they were sitting. "Deal with it."

"Quietly, sir?" Thomas asked although it sounded like he knew the answer.

"Yes, quietly. We don't want an incident."

With a nod the agent moved over to intercept the security guards with an outstretched hand.

Turning to Devon, Chuck took a moment to square his shoulders, almost as if preparing to take on a great burden. "Give it to me straight Devon."

"Chuck, this isn't something we see here a lot, even with all the gang violence. This is something seriously evil, and I can't give you any promises. Doctor Blake?" Devon gestured his colleague over.

"Mr. Bartowski, Doctor Woodcomb told me you were the one to find the patient? I would like to start by saying your quick thinking in applying first aid saved his life, no question about it. Mr. Casey would not be alive right now without you."

"Doctor," Chuck interrupted. "I hate to interrupt but as I just told Devon, give it to me straight. Don't sugar coat it, and don't roll it in bullshit."

Devon's eyes grew a little wider still at Chuck's uncharacteristic tone.

"Alright," Doctor Blake said with a nod. "I can do that. There were four separate wounds to Mr. Casey's abdominal cavity. Any one of them would have, in time, been fatal, but together they present quite a problem. Mr. Casey has a number of surgeries ahead of him in order to remove the bullets and attempt to repair the damage caused by them. He has sustained a great deal of trauma to a number of internal organs, and we're already in the process of removing a section of his large intestine. Now, you must understand..."

"It's okay Gerald, I'm sure Chuck doesn't need to know all the details," Devon said with a polite smile. "Thanks. I'll scrub up and then be back in. I'm sure Rhonda is almost ready for you to come and start again."

With a nod the other doctor hustled back through the doors he had entered from.

"Is he going to live Devon?" Chuck asked, his voice somehow not cracking.

With a sigh Devon shook his head and looked at his brother in law with sad eyes. "I don't know Chuck, and I know you don't want me to tell you anything but the straight up truth, so here it is. John Casey might not live out the hour."


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Just because you guys are, in the words of the great Captain himself, awesome, here's a second helping! Oh, and I may feel a little guilty about taking so long to update. Yeah, that too.

A/N2 : I think I've said this before, but I feel the need to reiterate. I am not now, nor have I ever been a doctor. I don't even play one on TV. So if some of the stuff that spews out when I'm writing about Casey's injuries sounds like crap, let's just write it off to literary license, shall we? I try to fact check as much as I can, but sometimes what I have in mind can't be found and I need to stretch the bounds of imagination. It's all about giving the truth scope.

**Chapter 5**

Wearily, Chuck scrubbed his hands over his face and closed his eyes tightly with a quiet groan. Never once, even after the Intersect Incident, did he picture himself trying to hold it together without anyone there to support him. Casey had seemed indestructible like some kind of modified Juggernaut straight out of the X-Men, and Sarah...well even when he questioned how she felt about him, he always knew Sarah would be there to protect him. Except right now Sarah was gone, and Casey was lying in the bed beside him on a respirator, fighting for every breath, fighting to live.

"Good thing he's a fighter," Chuck muttered to himself as he raised his head from his hands for what seemed like the two hundredth time since this night began. Looking at his watch he saw that it had been four hours since Casey started his marathon-like "initial" surgery where they'd cut and clamped and sutured until Casey had stopped dripping like a leaky faucet. It had only been five hours since he'd gone down to Castle after waking up confused on the Home Theatre room floor. Four in the morning. That meant it was eight in DC, which meant that Beckman would have been in her office for at least an hour. Assuming she didn't live in her office, which Chuck still wasn't convinced she didn't.

"Fuck it," Chuck grunted Casey-like. "She can wait."

A light knock on the door was followed by the head of Ellie. "Chuck? You're still here?"

Forcing a weary smile Chuck nodded his head slowly, wondering when dealing with his sister had become the cover. "Yeah El, still here."

"You should get some rest," Ellie stepped into the room and picked up Casey's chart. "He probably won't be coming around for, well, for quite a while. And then he's got a long road of surgeries ahead of him. I can't believe someone would try to mug John. I mean, it's not like he can't take care of himself."

It took a moment for Chuck's weary mind to process what Ellie was saying. Trying not to sound suspicious Chuck asked "What do you mean?"

"I mean look at him. He's a big guy, carries himself with confidence. He's not the usual target for muggers."

Slipping the chart back into the holder on the wall Ellie stepped up to Chuck and placed a gentle hand upon his shoulder. "Chuck...has Devon talked to you about John yet?"

Reaching up to place a hand over top of his sister's Chuck struggled to focus his mind. He needed to be sharp, Casey and Sarah weren't there to protect him right now. "Uhhh...no not since Casey came out of surgery. Why? What's up?"

"Maybe Devon should be the one to tell you," Ellie hedged. "He's one of John's doctors after all."

"Ellie...come on sis, tell me," Chuck pressed, squeezing her hand in reassurance.

"They, ah. Well Chuck, after the surgery they were looking over the films and one of the doctors think he might have, sort of, well, he..."

"Come on El, it can't be worse than Casey getting shot four times in the stomach, can it?" Chuck forced a note of comfort into his voice.

"What she's trying to tell you Chuckster," Devon said, stepping quietly into the room. "Is that John's road to recovery is going to be harder than we initially thought."

"What? Why?" Chuck squeezed Ellie's hand one more time and then stood up to face Devon.

"Why don't I talk to Chuck alone honey," Devon said to Ellie, pleading with his eyes.

"Right, why don't I go get us all some coffee from the lounge? It's worlds better than the stuff in the cafeteria."

"Awesome idea, honey."

As Ellie closed the door behind her Devon turned back to Chuck and sighed heavily. "Chuck, one of the bullets had penetrated deeper than the others. When we found it, it was lodged against the side of John's spinal column. We were very careful in the extraction, don't worry about that bro. However, initial films show that there is some damage and swelling in the area. John's scheduled to go back in later this afternoon so we can try to determine the extent of the damage. I've looked at the films bro, and I gotta tell you, I'm really optimistic. It's not my area, but the others have all agreed things look promising."

Chuck stopped breathing when Devon mentioned the words 'spinal column', 'damage' and 'swelling'. He may not be a doctor, but Chuck was smart enough to know what this might mean. "Worse case Devon...what are we looking at?"

"Chuck, bro, you know I don't like to deal in worse case scenarios. It's just not an awesome way to look at things."

"Devon," Chuck said, his voice pitched low. "I know you don't like to deal in those, but the people I work for live and die by worse case scenarios. In about ten minutes one of my minders is going to come through that door and tell me that I have to report in, that I should have reported in at least an hour ago. I have at least one General to brief on John's condition. Actually, I hate to say it Devon, but _you_ will probably have at least one General to brief. They're going to want to hear all the medical terms and everything, and they won't buy them coming from me. So...let's talk worst case."

With a sigh, Devon gestured for Chuck to sit back down. "Chuck, I know you've got some images...bad images, running around your head about what this could mean. And you're probably not wrong. The spine is a tricky thing; it doesn't take much at times to damage it, but at other times it recovers beyond all expectations. But I'm not going to tell you that John will never walk again. I'm not going to tell you that's he's going to be paralyzed. I'm sorry Chuck, and I know you have people you report to in...your real job, but I can't, I won't hurt you by causing you to panic about someone that you care about. You know I can't do that you bro, you or anyone else."

"But it is possible that Casey might never walk again?" Chuck prompted, already trying to come up with his report to the General. Damn, he wasn't the serious guy, he didn't do the life or death briefings, that was Casey's job! "Yes or no Devon."

His own eyes hardening a little, Devon finally nodded sharply. "It is a possibility Chuck. Until we go in and assess the damage, and until John himself wakes up we won't know just how bad things are."

"A possibility," Chuck nodded slowly. A knock at the door drew his attention away from Devon for a second. Outside he saw Agent Thomas holding up a cell phone. "Well, how's that for timing. You better come with me Devon, and we're going to need a room that's not used and is very private."

Stepping outside the room Chuck accepted the cell phone from Agent Thomas.

"Sir, General Beckman has called three times and insists that you report in," Thomas said in a hushed tone when Chuck took the phone.

"I figured. We're going to find a private room and you and Paris are you going to keep everyone out while I report in. Doctor Woodcomb will be allowed in to provide the medical brief, no one else."

"Understood sir. We have a room right over here," Thomas gestured down the hall to where Chuck could see the other agent, Paris, standing outside a small conference room.

Once the door was closed behind them and the agents had taken up position outside, Chuck dialled General Beckman's direct number.

"Captain Bartowski, you had better have a damn good reason for not reporting in," General Beckman snapped as soon as she picked up the phone.

"Ma'am, I apologize for the delay but I was attempting to ascertain the extent of Colonel Casey's injuries. And ma'am, I am not secure."

"What? Why not?"

"Ma'am, I have Doctor Woodcomb with me in order to deliver the medical brief. I thought that you would want to hear it right from the horse's mouth as it were."

"I want to hear it from you first Captain, and then we can let your brother in law attempt to dazzle me with his knowledge of medical terminology."

"It's bad ma'am."

"We don't know that yet, Chuck," Devon protested loudly.

"How bad Captain?"

"Casey had a bullet lodged against the spinal column. They took it out, and they don't know anything for sure yet, but..."

"I understand Captain. Put your brother in law on."

Handing the phone over to Devon, Chuck took a moment to caution him. "Be polite. Don't bullshit her, and for god's sake, don't crack jokes. I haven't got her to laugh even once."

While Devon spoke to General Beckman, Chuck sat down at the conference table and started to drum his fingers on the tabletop. Sarah missing. Casey out of action. Training or no, Beckman was probably going to pull him into 'protective custody'. And for the life of him he couldn't think of one reason why she shouldn't. Shaw knew too much, knew everything about him. But it didn't make any sense. Why would Shaw take Sarah if he wanted the Intersect? He'd had more than ample opportunity to capture Chuck when they were alone together any number of times.

"He's not after the Intersect," Chuck mused quietly after making sure Devon was still on the other side of the room talking to Beckman. "It's not about me; it's something else...but what?"

"Chuck," Devon said quietly, holding the phone out to Chuck. "She wants to talk to you again."

Taking the phone in hand, Chuck stood back up and stepped into the corner Devon had been in while he gave his report. "Yes General?"

"Captain, we find ourselves at a crossroads. My gut instinct is that this is not about the Intersect; Shaw could have taken you at any time without any problem."

"That is also my assessment ma'am."

"Don't interrupt Bartowski. I'm shutting down your operations in the Castle; we're going to set Castle to inactive status. Shaw knows too much about it."

"Ma'am, is that really necessary? If Shaw's not after me I don't need to go into protective custody, and he's still got Sarah."

"Last warning Captain. Next time you interrupt me you _will_ be brought into custody. I can't believe I'm going to say this, but that's not the first option. I need you, that training we gave you and that computer in your head. You're right, Shaw is out there, and he's got Agent Walker. We still don't know if she was an accomplice or a hostage, and I need you to find out. Use Casey's apartment to go over all the footage from Castle, see if you can find anything that tells us what's going on. Captain Bartowski, your orders are to track and apprehend Agent Shaw by any means necessary. You have free reign Captain, and access to whatever you need, but you need to do it quickly. And Captain? If you determine that Agent Walker was a part of his plan, you will also apprehend her."

"And if she's not? If she's his hostage?"

"Then you bring her home Chuck, and you don't let anything stop you from doing that."


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: So I just watched Fake Name yesterday (a day after it aired), and all I have to say is ***facepalm***.

A/N2: I know it's short, but I figured you would all like to see where this began.

**Chapter 6**

_Five hours previously_

A large foam cup of coffee was placed on the table, complete with plastic stir stick across the top. Looking up, Sarah flashed Shaw a small smile and reached out to claim the coffee.

"Thanks, I need this after today," Sarah said as she took the lid off the coffee.

"I wasn't sure if you wanted one so late; I don't know about you but I'm not planning on heading back to an empty hotel room just yet and thought I'd chance it," Shaw said with a grin.

"No, not yet, not with," Sarah gestured to the monitors that were showing the interior of the BuyMore.

"Yeah, Chuck and his date. Interesting choice of venues," Shaw chuckled.

"Well, Chuck always gets points for enthusiasm," Sarah said wistfully. "His choice in venues might be different than is the norm, but they always seem to work."

"So I can see," Shaw said with a gesture to the monitors. When Sarah turned her eyes to the screen she saw Chuck and Hannah sprawled out on the couch in the Home Theatre room in the midst of a passionate embrace.

Trying to ignore the combating feelings of jealousy and hopelessness that rose in her breast, Sarah took a long pull from her coffee cup and tried to return her focus to the file she was reading.

"He's really come a long way," Shaw said as he also turned his attention back to his work. "I heard word is that they're thinking about cutting him loose soon."

"What?" Sarah said before taking another nervous gulp of her coffee. "Cutting Chuck loose? He's not ready."

"Sarah," Shaw said with a raised eyebrow. "You and I both know that Chuck's a lot more ready than you give him credit for. He's smart, and adaptable. He's going to be on his own sooner or later, and we can't hold him back."

Sarah glanced at the monitor again and felt confusion at how blurry it appeared. "Is there...something wrong with the monitor?"

"No, the monitor is fine," Shaw said softly. "Everything is just fine Sarah, don't fight it."

"Don't...fight?" Sarah blinked owlishly as she tried to comprehend Shaw's words, fighting through the cottony feeling that her mind was suddenly wrapped in.

"It's all going to be okay Sarah, really. You're going to just take a little nap and then we're going to go for a little drive. Then, once we're alone, you and I will have a little...chat."

Sarah was still trying to get her mouth to work in order to form words when the freezer door from the Orange Orange hissed open and heavy steps were heard on the stairs.

"Is the moron still 'working late'?" Casey said with a sly chuckle as he made his way down the stairs. Before he reached the bottom of the stairs, Sarah toppled out of her chair onto the ground, causing Casey to stop and growl. "What the fuck?"

"Casey, thank god you're here!" Shaw said after a beat. "Sarah just started complaining about not feeling well, and then...well you see what happened!"

Grunting, Casey stepped off the stairs and over to his partner, all the while keeping an eye on Shaw. "She eat or drink anything?"

"Just that coffee," Shaw gestured to the cup that had fallen from Sarah's hand. "Do you think? I haven't seen her eat anything all day; maybe she just fainted."

"Walker doesn't faint," Casey snapped as he bent over Sarah, checking for a pulse. He felt a weak slap to his arm and looked down and focused completely on Sarah where he saw her mouth the word 'help'.

"What's going on?" Casey demanded as he heard the snick of a slide being pulled back as a round was chambered in a gun.

"Colonel, your timing just couldn't be worse," Shaw said with a sigh. "I really had hoped I wouldn't have to deal with you just yet."

Standing up, Casey put his hand back on the butt of his sidearm as he glared at the CIA agent holding a gun on him. "You're working for the Ring."

With a barked laugh Shaw shook his head violently. "Please. The Ring wants me dead just as much as I'm betting you do right now. No, I'm not working for the Ring."

"Fulcrum? Iran? China?" Casey spat out one name after the other. With a hiss he finished "Russia?"

"None of the above Colonel; you really shouldn't be so narrow minded. Now be so kind as to toss your gun on the table."

With a snarl Casey pulled out his gun and tossed it on the table contemptuously. "You want the kid."

"Wrong again Colonel. Chuck doesn't interest me at all, not even with all the secrets in his head. I've got what I want," Shaw sneered as he flicked his eyes down at where Sarah lay on the ground and then back up to Casey. With a small sigh he said "I had hoped for clean, but you can't always get what you want I suppose."

Before Casey could snap out a retort he was pounded by a jackhammer to the gut. A split second later he heard the sharp crack of the gun in Shaw's hand, followed by three more rapid shots.

As Casey collapsed to the ground Shaw pulled out his phone and punched a speed dial number. As everything started to fade against the wall of pain Casey heard him say "It's me. I'm cleaning up here, you need to put him out and extract."


End file.
